Burakovsky is interviewed after being named first star of the game. (Photo via DaneFox)

Washington Capitals 2013 first-round pick Andre Burakovsky had his best game in the OHL so far on Saturday. He was named first star of the game after scoring a goal and recording four assists in the Erie Otters’ 8-4 win over the North Bay Battalion.

The big night helped Burakovsky, who now has eight points in four outings, climb to the top 30 in leaguewide scoring despite having played two fewer games than most of the competition. His two points per game are good to tie for sixth in the OHL.

Saturday’s game was Erie’s home opener and the first game played in Erie Insurance Arena after recent renovations.

Burakovsky’s assists are at 0:20, 0:48 Goal is at 1:00 mark. Two of assists can’t be seen in the video.

On Erie’s first goal, Burakovsky took the puck down the wing on the power play and dropped it back to the blueline. A shot by Dane Fox hit Burakovsky on his way to the net and bounced off the end boards on the stick of Connor Brown.

Burakovsky’s second assist came on the power play as well. Burakovsky was coming down the right wing, then turned around and fed the puck to the front of the net for Brown, who then found Fox for an easy finish.

Less than thirty seconds later, still in the first minute of the second period, Burakovsky cut to the middle of the ice and put a wrist shot past North Bay’s goalie Brendan O’Neill to make it 3-1.

Washington Capitals first-round pick Andre Burakovsky scored two goals and recorded an assist in his Erie Otters’ debut against the Niagara IceDogs in the team’s first preseason game of the season. Throughout the game, Burakovsky, wearing number 95, took regular shifts with on the Otters’ first line, centered by 2015 draft top prospect Connor McDavid. On Burakovsky’s opposite wing was Leafs’ sixth-round pick Connor Brown. The trio combined for 14 points in a 6-3 drubbing of Niagara.

Both of Burakovsky’s goals came in the second period during which the Otters blew the game wide open, taking a commanding 5-0 lead.

Burakovsky’s first goal on North American soil. (Video credit: Victor Fernandes)

While his Otters debut was easy, his trip from Sweden to Erie earlier in the week was more challenging. The 18-year-old prospect, who described the trip as “pretty hard,” first flew from Sweden to Paris. When he tried to board his connecting flight to North America, they wouldn’t let him on the plane. After issues were worked out, Burakovsky bought a new ticket. After a long wait, he finally boarded another flight and made it to America. His luggage and gear, however, stayed in Paris.

Without equipment, Burakovsky was forced to sit out the first two days of his team’s camp. He was limited to just one scrimmage with his new teammates before the first game of the preseason on Saturday.

In his chat with reporters, Burakovsky also talked about the decision to come over to play for the Otters. His signing with Erie ended an almost two-month-long series of rumors and negotiations that reportedly involved teams from many leagues.

“It was very important for me to make the right decision,” Burakovsky explained to Victor Fernandes. “I was thinking a lot about it with my agent and my family, what’s best for me and stuff. I talked a lot with Washington, and they think it’s gonna be good for me to play in Erie in the OHL. So I decided to come over because I think I’ll play a lot here and will be a leader for the team. I think it can be really good for my future.”

The Austrian-born winger plans on leaving for Washington later this week to participate in Caps rookie camp, and, if all goes well, the big league training camp immediately after that. At least we know now that if Erie ends up being Burakovsky’s final destination this fall, it’s a league he’ll likely dominate.

Andre on the bench during his first scrimmage as an Otter. (Photo credit: Otters Twitter)